STUDIES in AUSTRALIAN FISHES. 



No. 1. 



.By Allan E. McCulloch, Zoologist. 



(Plates x.-xi.) 



It is m} T intention to contribute under this heading a series of 

 short papers dealing with material as it comes to hand. 



The present article contains an account of some species of the 

 genera Clinus, Petraites and Cristiceps. The}' are an extremely 

 variable group, and it is only by an examination of large series 

 that the limits of the many species can be determined. The 

 Australian Museum Collection, together with that of the late 

 Sir William Macleay, affords such material, and I take the 

 opportunity of figuring the eight species available, as well as 

 giving a short comparative description of each. 



To Mr. George Masters, Curator of the Macleay Museum, my 

 best thanks are due for enabling me to examine the specimens 

 under his charge ; also to Messes. J. Gabriel, of Melbourne, and 

 H. E. Finckh and Bassett Hull, Junr., of Sydney, for additional 

 specimens. 



The species dealt with, including synonyms, are as follows : — 



Cristiceps aurantiacus, Cast. — Syn. C. pictus, Mac). 



,, australis, Cuv. & Val. — Syn. C. macleayi, Cast.; 



C. howittii, Cast.; C.pallidus, Mack; C. splen- 

 dens, Cast. 

 ,, argyropleura, Kner. 

 Petraites Iieptceolus, Ogilby. — Syn. Cristiceps wilsoni, Lucas. 

 ,, roseus, Giinther. 



,, fasciatus, Macl. — Syn. Clinus whiteleggii, Ogilby. 

 „ phillipi, Lucas. 

 Clinus perspicillatu8, Cuv. & Val. — Syn. Clinus despicilla/i 

 Rich. 



Clinus, Cuvier. 



Clinus, Cuvier, Etegne Anim., ii., 1817, p. 251 (mustelarisj. 



This genus was proposed for Blennies in which the anterior 

 rays of the dorsal fin, while widely spaced from those following, 

 are nevertheless connected with them by membrane. 



